Modern Girl
by Taylor King
Summary: The world is back to normal and Mimi can leave Jericho...how well does that go over?


As with all of my Jericho fiction, I don't own any rights to it. i just like to amuse myself and others.

"_Give me the future with a modern girl…" –Meat Loaf_

Stanley's eyes went from where Mimi's hand still rested on the telephone receiver she had just hung up to the guilty expression in her eyes.

"You're leaving?"

"You weren't supposed to hear it like that."

"Oh, how was I supposed to hear it?" Stanley entered the kitchen. "Mimi, why are you leaving? I thought you were happy." Mimi shook her head.

"Stanley, you knew I would leave as soon as I was able."

"I thought things had changed." He came to her, taking her hand. Mimi pulled back.

"Well, I guess you thought wrong." Something occurred to him.

"Wait, did you say you were going to New York?" Mimi looked away, staring out the window. "Mimi, why are you going to New York?"

"Well, D.C. isn't standing anymore, I've got to go somewhere." She still wouldn't look at him.

"Well, then stay here till they get everything back together-." He took both of her hands again.

"There's someone else." Mimi yanked away and took a step back. Stanley's eyes widened and his mouth fell open.

"What?"

"There's someone else. There always has been. His name is Sam and he was in New York on business and I wasn't sure-. But I made some calls yesterday afternoon, and he survived, he's ok." Stanley shook his head.

"Then all this time…I was…the other guy?" Mimi shook her head and bit her lip.

"I'm sorry."

"So you were just...what? Using me? Keeping me as a crutch until you knew something for sure? Mimi-."

"Stanley, I never wanted to hurt you."

"Mimi, what the hell did you think you were going to do?" Emotion was pulsing in his eyes and Mimi felt her heart twist at the sight. "After everything that we had…."

"Maybe we didn't have what you thought we did," Mimi said gently. "Stanley, I am so sorry."

"I loved you," The words fell like stones. "Did you know that? Did you think about that? Did it ever occur to you how I might be feeling?" Mimi opened her mouth but Stanley shook his head. "Obviously not."

"Stanley-."

"Get out of my house." Stanley turned to go. "And I never want to see you in Jericho again." Mimi sighed and ran her hands through her hair.

"All right, I'll leave for Wichita now.'

"Yeah, make sure you do." Stanley stormed out of the house, slamming the front door behind him.

Mimi sat up trembling. Beside her, a light flipped on.

"Mimi, what's the matter?" Sam sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong?" Mimi squeezed her eyes shut.

"Nothing, nothing's wrong."

"Nothing?" Sam put his arm around her shoulders. "You've woken up from nightmares every night this week. This whole thing really messed you up, didn't it?"

"What do you think?" Mimi rested her head against her knee.

"Mimi, everything's ok now. We can go on with life again. It's just going to take some rebuilding." Mimi didn't answer, she wasn't convinced it was that easy. Sam withdrew his arm for a moment.

"Tell me something."

"What?"

"Who's Stanley?" Mimi raised her head and looked at him.

"What?"

"Stanley. Last night you were talking in your sleep, that's the name you said."

"I don't know."

"Really? You don't? Because I distinctly recall that the case that sent you to Kansas was Stanley Richmond. That doesn't ring any bells?"

"Sam, this isn't worth talking about."

"You know, if there's something I need to know, I think you should tell me. A lot happened, I would understand."

"I _am not_ talking about this now." Mimi got out of bed, went into the bathroom and locked the door. She sat down on tile and leaned back against the door. Resting her head on her arms, she started to sob quietly. On the other side of the door, there was a sigh and then a knock on the door.

"Mimi, come on, let's talk about this. Mimi, come on. Seriously, let's just talk. Mimi, honey?" There was a pause, and then another even more disgusted sigh. "Mimi, this was hard on everyone." And then a moment later the front door opened and slammed shut.

Mimi wiped her eyes and realized she'd been crying since she'd woken up at 5:00 a.m. Actually, she'd been crying almost constantly for the better part of a week, which was highly unlike her. Sam had gone to work, not knowing what else to do with Mimi not eating, not sleeping and crying all the time.

Mimi checked her email and deleted the fifth email from the IRS she'd received since 8:00 that morning. She wanted her job back, but then she didn't, and what else did she have to do? But she couldn't, she absolutely couldn't, stand the thought of it. There was nothing left for her anymore.

Brining the cursor to her Google tool bar, she typed "Jericho, KS" in the search engine and hit the enter key. The first search term was an advertisement: "Locate People in Jericho, KS." The link was already purple, having already been clicked nearly a dozen times already so that Mimi could stare at "Richmond, Stanley" on the page. On several occasions, she'd dialed. But every time, the answering machine was the only response. She clicked the page open, but this time typed in "Bailey." Two results: "Bailey, Mary" and "Bailey's Tavern." She grabbed the phone from the table beside her and punched in the number for Bailey's Tavern.

"Bailey's," Mary sounded board, which didn't realize surprise Mimi considering where she lived.

"Mary, it's Mimi Clark."

"What's the-. Mimi?" Mary's voice distinctly lowered and Mimi had to wonder if Stanley was in earshot. "Why are you calling here?"

"Stanley won't return my calls."

"Well, it doesn't surprise me!"

"Mary, how is he? Is he ok?"

"Mimi, why do you care?"

"Mary, please."

"He's devastated, Mimi. How do you expect him to be? He's been miserable since you left. He was in _love_ with you, for Christ's sake." Mimi took a deep breath, fresh tears moving into her eyes.

"Oh my God."

"Mimi, seriously, I don't know what you're thinking, but just leave him alone."

"I'm going to fix this."

"I don't think you can."

"Yes, I can. Trust me." Mimi hung up without a goodbye and turned back to the computer screen. Returning to the search bar she typed: "flights to Wichita, KS."

The empty fertilizer containers went flying across the barn and slammed into the wall. Stanley frowned. It didn't make things any better: now he just had another mess to clean up, but it had relieved some of the tension he'd been feeling. He started picking up the overturned containers when he heard a car in the driveway. Well, if it was important, they'd find him. Stanley began restacking the containers when he heard footsteps first in the gravel, and then at the barn's entrance.

"Stanley?" He froze for a moment, and then turned.

"Another audit? At least last time they sent a letter." He glared at her. "What do you want?"

"Stanley, I have to talk to you." Mimi crossed the barn to come face to face with him.

"I don't have anything to say to you." Stanley turned away.

"You won't return my calls."

"That's because I don't want to talk to you!" Stanley glanced over his shoulder at her. "Why did you come here? I told you I didn't want to see you."

"Well, I want to see you." Mimi put her hand on his shoulder. "Stanley, I'm sorry."

"That's what you came to tell me?"

"No, I-." Mimi followed him across the barn as he went to collect three more thrown containers. "I made a mistake."

"I know that." Stanley sighed as he scooped up another of the containers.

"I shouldn't have left." Mimi reached for his arm but he pulled it away. "I should have stayed here-with you."

"What about whatever his name is? I thought you just had to get back to Mr. Presumed Dead."

"It's over. Actually, I think it ended a year ago." Mimi whispered. "Stanley, there's nothing for me out there anymore. I'm supposed to be here, with you." Mimi put herself in front of him and took the containers out of his hands. Placing them on the floor, she stood up, laying her hands on his chest. Tears-yet again-were welling in her eyes. Stanley shook his head.

"Is this how it's going to be from now on? You're going to come in and out of here whenever you want, crying, telling me you want to be with me? Until when, Mimi, until when? Until you get tired of life in Jericho? Until you get sick of farm animals? How long?"

"Stanley stop! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. Never. I made a huge mistake thinking I could just pick up and forget everything between us, just go back to the way things were. I was wrong!"

"There wasn't anything between us, remember?" Stanley asked flatly. He turned away. Mimi grabbed his arm.

"I love you." Stanley felt his throat tighten.

"What?"

"You heard me." Mimi whispered, her tears starting to fall in black mascara rivers across her cheeks. "I love you. And I know you love me." Stanley turned around and took hold of her upper arms.

"Mimi, listen to me: I can't live like this. Either you're here, with me, or you're off in the big city doing whatever it is you do. I can't have you in and out of my life at your convenience, it won't work like that."

"Then I want to stay here." Mimi reached out to take hold of his chest. "I want to be with you. I can't function without you anymore." Stanley felt a tremor run through his body.

"Are you sure?" He brought his hand up to her face. "Are you 100 sure?" Mimi nodded, tears still falling.

"I swear." She slid her hands up around his neck. "I didn't realize how much you had changed my life in the last year." Stanley lowered his head and kissed her. Mimi kissed him back. It was the first thing she'd felt in almost a month. She wrapped her arms tighter around her neck and hugged him, running her tongue against his lips. Stanley caught her waist and held her back gently.

"Oh my God, Mimi, I can't believe this."

"I missed you so much." Mimi's tears began fresh. Stanley laughed.

"Stop it!" He picked her up and Mimi laughed, wrapping her legs around his waist. "Stop crying. Please." He kissed her again.

"I'd like to! I think it's all I've done for the last few weeks!" Mimi unwrapped one arm from his neck to dry her eyes. Stanley pulled her tighter to him and began running his lips down her throat. Mimi twisted until he set her down.

"Ok," she kissed him quickly. "Maybe we should put this off until after you take a shower?" Stanley set his jaw and rolled his eyes.

"Look, if you're really going to do this you're going to have to accept the fact that there are going to be times where I don't smell like Armani cologne."

"Ok, ok." Mimi nodded, "I can live with that." Stanley thought for a moment.

"You know what? I've got a better I idea." He reached down and lifted her into his arms again. Mimi wrapped an arm around his neck and curled against his chest.

"What's that?" Stanley started out of the barn.

"Why don't we take care of that shower issue together?" Mimi laughed as he headed for the house.


End file.
